FORESIGHTERS Doctoral Programme

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MSCA COFUND (Grant Agreement No. 101261888) Doctoral Programme supporting 20 internationally mobile PhD researchers at Queen's University Belfast Posting updates on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/groups/16994003/

We'd like to encourage you to make sure you submit your application in plenty of time before the window closes - we cannot accept applications after 23:59 UK time on Monday 29th June (2026). We will be working normal office hours that day, so we won't be able to reply to any enquiries after 17:30 UK time. We won't be able to update applications - including errors or corrected uploaded documents - where the request has been submitted to us after 23:59. We will proceed with eligibility screening and shortlisting as soon as applications close, and we will update everyone as soon as possible. Thank you for your understanding.
QUB has a strong track record on Gender Equality and diversity, verified by its Gold Athena Swan award, its long standing Gender Initiative, Equality Scheme and Action Plan, and a range of other supportive policies and procedures, including a Staff Disability Support Fund and an Inclusive Employment Scheme. It acknowledges that the UK research community is insufficiently diverse and is a signatory of the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers to ensure EDI is reflected in recruitment of ESRs and other staff. FORESIGHTERS will seek to demonstrate a commitment to equality of opportunity in the recruitment process by: - Ensuring members of selection, evaluation, and assessment panels are as diverse as possible and have undergone EDI training - Using diverse recruitment channels to reach under-represented groups - Explicitly encouraging applications from underrepresented groups in job adverts, avoiding gendered or exclusionary language - Considering diversity and barriers to entry for diverse groups when shortlisting - Adopting inclusive interview and selection strategies such as providing clear and accessible information on the recruitment process and interview - Signing up to (and learning from) initiatives which aim to enable employers to engage proactively with disabilities and to improve the recruitment of disabled researchers for their skills and talent Those involved in recruitment will be instructed to recognise that performance in interviews can be influenced by language and cultural differences and will take account of these factors when weighing the interview performance. They will also be asked to recognise that FORESIGHTERS is designed to be inclusive, and evaluation should not penalise researchers who spend time outside active research or work, for example for parental leave, sick leave, or career breaks. The criteria will focus on research interests and suitability for the role, not solely on a continuous record of research or work.
Futures thinking and skills training to address societal challenges The complexity and uncertainty associated with long-term societal challenges demands new ways of anticipating, conceptualizing and managing the future. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, FORESIGHTERS aims to train 20 Early Stage Researchers (ESRs) who will work with a range of non-academic partners to develop doctoral research projects under themes of health, technology, energy, future cities, and creativity. An innovative training programme will nurture core skills in foresight, systems thinking, and futures literacy and develop advanced capabilities for inter-disciplinary research and sustainable research practice. The project aims to develop a cohort of highly skilled ESRs that are exceptionally placed to be future leaders in research and a range of other sectors. Applications will open 18th May 2026 FORESIGHTERS has received funding from the European Union’s MSCA COFUND research and innovation programme (Grant agreement No. 101261888). Match-funding is generously provided through studentship funds from the Northern Ireland Department for the Economy
A European flag - Foresighters is co-funded by the European Union